As a father of 2 kids in school, I still cannot process what I saw on the news this week. This is no longer a story that happened to some stranger in a different state, as a parent of 2 kids entering that age where they will be attending our school system very soon, this story affected me this week much more so than even 5 years ago when Sandy Hook happened.
I did something that I NEVER did before. Someone wrote something on Facebook and I just couldn’t hold it in, I didn’t care. I NEVER post anything political on my FB. If you ask me in person, I will tell you but posting that information online isn’t something that I do. But this time, it was different.
A pastor posted his opinion on the recent shooting and people immediately started responding to his post. And reading through it, it normally wouldn’t bother me so much but there was this one comment that REALLY made me upset and I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I had to write something and I had to respond.
This was the 18th shooting in school this YEAR! It’s only been 48 days and we had 18 gun-related accidents in our schools.
Since Sandy Hook (in which 20 of my daughter's age kids murdered), 438 people have been shot in school shootings and of 438, 138 lost their lives. And in that same time period, over 150,000 people have died from gun violence in the US.
At this point, we are so de-sensitized to this issue that if I didn’t have kids, I would’ve been like “oh well” because that’s how I felt after Sandy Hook. After that initial shock, by the next meal, I had completely forgotten about it and my life went on.
But it’s different now. I have kids. My oldest daughter will be in school next year. It is no longer someone else’s problem. It is MY problem. It is OUR problem. And of course, CA has had more mass shootings than any other state. (23)
We have a shoe bomber that attempted a terrorist act but got caught and we have a huge overhaul of the way we travel and pass through airport security. ONE MAN, and he didn’t even kill anyone. Now we have to take off our shoes, our jackets (now you can bypass all of that if you have pre-TSA approval). A COMPLETE OVERHAUL. A complete reform. EVERY airport in the US, we have TSA agents checking baby bottles and laptops. We are OK with that but when it comes to school shooting, where literally thousands of lives have been lost, NOTHING gets done.
Why is that?
I’m not saying I am right and I have all the answers. I don’t want to get into politics and it’s a complicated issue. I’m not here to debate or talk about politics, I’m not here to condemn certain groups of people.
Regardless of your standing on this issue, I think we can all agree that something has to be done about mass shootings in our country. SOMETHING has to be done.
I grew up in Korea and guess how many mass shootings in school there are in Korea. 0. What about Japan? What about other civilized, 1st world countries? Did any of those countries have 18 school shootings this year alone?
US makes up less than 5% of the world’s population but holds 31% of global mass shooters. We are breeding some crazy people in this country. What are we doing?!
Since 1966-2012, there have been 90 mass shootings in the US. The most of any other country in the world. Guess who #2, 3, 4, 5 are? Philippines (18), Russia (15), Yemen (11), France (10). US almost doubled #2-5 COMBINED!
In Australia, 4 mass shootings occurred between 1987 and 1996. After those incidents, public opinion turned against gun ownership and their Parliament passed stricter gun laws. Australia hasn’t had a mass shooting since.
(https://www.preventioninstitute.org/focus-areas/preventing-violence-and-reducing-injury/preventing-violence-advocacy)
Our mental health professionals have done a great job so far but we still need to change somethings.
1. We need to reduce the stigma associated with mental health needs and support our children/friends/family members in seeking and obtaining high quality treatment.
2. We need to reduce our children’s exposure to violence and address the impact of trauma. Our kids are watching movies, playing games, listening to music that are sometimes not age appropriate and quite honestly, too violent or graphic.
3. We need to enforce gun safety. Gun owners should be required to regularly refresh their training and renew their permits (with requirements at least as stringent as those renewing their Driver’s license)
4. We need to recognize gun violence as a preventable issue
5. And lastly we need a gun law that makes sense. How can a kid not old enough to drink beer, buy a rifle? A kid not old enough to buy a handgun, buy AR-15?
And again, my question is, what are we doing about it? NOTHING!
We haven’t done ANYTHING to prevent it and now Columbine is not even top 10 most deadly school shooting in the US.
What are we doing? NOTHING
My daughter had an interaction with one of her friends at her Montessori last week that made me upset. Not necessarily at the child but at the school administration. During dinner, I ask everyone how their day was and we share things that happened to us that day. My daughter said that her friend, who is only 4 years old, told her that he was going to kill himself.
As a father and a pastor, a mandated reporter, I approached the school. I talked to the teacher who downplayed it and didn’t even attempt to address the issue so I talked to the owner of the school and she told me the kid’s background and why she could see him saying something like that.
I told her that I understand it’s a 4 year old and he probably didn’t know the full extent of what he was saying but to be saying that to other kids and the school not willing to do ANYTHING about it even when a parent confronts the issue and reminds them how serious this is…do you know that the reported case of the youngest child who committed suicide is 6.
So I tell the principal if you don’t talk to the parents and tell them what their son is saying in school, I am pulling my kids out. That’s when she took me seriously and she talked to the parents. That afternoon I’m picking my kids up and the principal approaches me to tell me that she talked to the parents/grandparents and they were saying how he probably learned that phrase from a movie or a cartoon and then I was like… “and then…?” did they saying anything else? She said, he’s a little kid, he didn’t know what he was talking about. So she was going on about the issues with the step dad and so I had to politely interrupt her and ask, “What are they going to do?” and this time I was looking straight in her eye and she told me “what do you want them to do?” What do you want the parents to do??
I’m speechless. During our 2-3 min conversation, the principal did not mention how the parents said they were going to talk to the child and tell him how inappropriate this behavior is. I was hoping that the parents would use this opportunity to educate their kid and have a conversation.
People in position to do something about the situation repeated did not do what they’re supposed to do; to protect our children. To protect those under their care and guidance.
NOTHING was done in Parkland, FL. NOTHING was done in my daughter’s school.
And there’s a story in the Bible of a king that did not do anything when he was the only person in position to help. There was a man that did not do anything when there was a crisis.
David’s sudden and dramatic turn from king to fugitive did not come out of the blue. A whole series of consequences from David’s actions – and inactions – now come to a terrible convergence in chapter 15.
It goes way back with David’s sin against Bathsheba and Uriah. David had known that Bathsheba was married, but he wanted her anyway. So while Uriah was away (FIGHTING for him and risking his life), David sent for her, took her, and slept with her abusing his power. When he learned that Bathsheba was pregnant, David attempted to cover up his crime by purposely killing Uriah again abusing his power to do so. The prophet, Nathan, confronts the king…
‘You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. . . . Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ (2 Sam. 12:9-12)
The judgment spoken by Nathan came true when we read chapter 13, “In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David” (2 Sam 13:1). With lust for his sister reminiscent of David’s lust for Bathsheba, Amnon devised a scheme to be alone with his sister. David, blind to Amnon’s intentions, ALLOWED this to happen: Amnon asked for his sister, and who sent her? David (2 Sam 13:7). Amnon took Tamar, overpowered her, and raped her. When David learned about this he was upset. But he did nothing.
Because of David’s inaction and failure to execute justice, Absalom took matters into his own hands. After plotting vengeance for two years, Absalom prepared to have his brother murdered. David, blind to Absalom’s intentions, again played a role in Amnon’s death: Absalom requested Amnon’s presence, and who sent Amnon to Absalom? David (2 Sam 13:26-27). As Absalom planned, when the right time came, Absalom ordered his brother’s death and he ran away. David mourned for Amnon and longed for Absalom; but he did nothing either to execute justice, nor to reconcile with Absalom.
The consequences keep snowballing. After three years of separation, the relationship between David and Absalom grew apart. When David finally called Absalom back home to Jerusalem, it is only because he had been manipulated into it (2 Sam. 14:1-21).
In chapter 14, Joab, David’s nephew, sees how distraught David is over Absalom. David missed him but didn’t do anything to reconcile. So Joab hires a wise woman from Tekoa to go talk to David. She pretends to be in mourning and pulls David’s heart by saying she’s a widow and had 2 sons which one kills the other and now people want to kill her remaining son but she got upset at them because he was the only one that will pass down the dead father’s name. David promises to protect her and her son.
And then the woman asks to speak privately with David. She asks him why he won’t forgive Absalom and let him return home. She tells him that we’re all going to die, but that God isn’t interested in taking away a life prematurely or for bad reasons. And that God will let outcasts re-enter his presence before they die. So now David figures out that she was sent by Joab and David tells Joab that he can bring Absalom back but Absalom won’t be permitted to come into his presence. After 2 years, Absalom decides it’s time to make up. He asks Joab to help out but Joab doesn’t listen. Absalom sets Joab’s barley field on fire to get his attention and Joab sets up a meeting between Absalom and David and that’s how chapter 14 ends.
And that brings us to our passage. All of that background – all the consequences of David’s actions and inactions – begin to converge right here. David’s distant relationship with his embittered son provides the perfect conditions for Absalom to act.
Right under his father’s nose, Absalom patiently sets up a conspiracy. “Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him” (15:1) While King David is preoccupied with other matters, Absalom gets up early and stations himself outside the city gate to meet those who are seeking justice from the king. With charisma, bitterness over his father’s lack of justice when his sister needed it, and feigned interest in the people’s concerns, Absalom laments, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you. . . . If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me, and I would see that he gets justice” (15:3, 4). And, reminiscent of his father’s kingly kiss when he himself once bowed before him, “Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of [that person], and kiss him. . . . And so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel” (vv. 5, 6).
After four years of this, Absalom is ready to make his decisive move. He asks the king’s permission to offer a sacrifice to the LORD in Hebron, the king’s former capital city (this was the city where David was anointed as king). David, unaware of Absalom’s intentions, tells him to go in peace. Once there, Absalom gathers and mobilizes his supporters (including Ahithophel – David’s advisor, and likely Bathsheba’s grandfather). “And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing” (v. 12).
When David receives word of what Absalom is doing, he knows that his kingship – which the people had once gifted him (5:1-3) – is being taken from him. He understands that his life is in jeopardy and that, if he remains in Jerusalem, the city is in danger of devastation. So David gathers his household and his bodyguards and flees.
As his bodyguards pass in front of him, David stops Ittai the Gittite, the commander of his mercenary group. David knows that Ittai is an exile from his homeland, and has only recently joined David’s company. He “has nothing to gain and everything to lose by remaining with David, and David knows it. He urges Ittai, “Go back and stay with King Absalom. . . . You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness” (v.20).
But in remarkable contrast to Absalom’s treachery, Ittai proves his loyalty. This was a hired mercenary.
David released him to go and he could’ve easily gone to Absalom or whoever pays him the most money
He could’ve spared his life by siding with the new king
But this is what Ittai says, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there may your servant be” (v.21). Ittai casts his lot with the LORD’s chosen king, even though it means laying his own life on the line.
In Ittai’s faithfulness to David (even in spite of David’s many faults), we are given a picture of the kindness and faithfulness of God. Though David was loved by many, he was a sinful man; and those closest to him paid the price for his mistakes. And yet, the LORD provides David with faithful leaders like Ittai, who would rather die than abandon him.
Through Ittai’s willingness to put his life on the line for David, God gives us a glimpse of Christ. “Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:6-8).
Jesus, just like Ittai, showed us loyalty by laying down his life for us. Like David, we have NOTHING to offer Jesus. And yet through the loyalty of Jesus Christ, we have life.
Our inaction in time of crisis have serious consequences. David’s inaction had serious consequence in this chapter. He was a fugitive before b/c of Saul and now he’s a fugitive b/c of his own son, Absalom.
God’s will for his children is not to be fugitives to sin. God does not want YOU to be living a life of running away, hiding. Jesus overcame sin and his victory is YOUR victory.
In times of spiritual crisis, how will you respond? Will you respond like David and not do anything?
In our OC small group, we talked about the seed and how God’s word has POWER/power to transform the hearts of men. Let’s allow God’s word to enter our hearts through the power of the HS to transform us so that we can seek out God’s will in our lives. I don’t know what God’s will for you is right now at this particular moment in your life.
He asked Abraham to kill his son.
God asked Noah to build an ark
Jesus called 12 disciples to forsake their nets/families to follow him
What is God calling you to do today?? Let’s allow the power of God to dwell in our hearts so that we can have the courage to follow God’s will when the Holy Spirit convicts us to do so.
